A helmet including a head-facing portion with an exterior surface and an antimicrobial coating applied thereto. The antimicrobial coating includes a silane quaternary ammonium ion or salt thereof. Exemplary silane quaternary ammonium ions or salts thereof include: 3-(trimethoxysilyl)propyldimethyloctadecyl ammonium ion, 3-(trimethoxysilyl)propyldimethyloctadecyl ammonium chloride, 3-(trihydroxysilyl)propyldimethyloctadecyl ammonium ion, and 3-(trihydroxysilyl)propyldimethyloctadecyl ammonium chloride.

The invention includes a protective headpiece and components thereof and methods for their use. Preferred examples comprise a helmet component, a plurality of piers joining said helmet component to a shoulder pad component and an inner hat component permitting the wearer the ability to move the head from side to side and/or up and down within the helmet component without moving the helmet component. The helmet component may comprise a plurality of fluid-filled floating plates or floats on the inner surface thereof to cushion the head against impact during activities including, for example, football, race car driving, military activities and the like.

The present invention is directed to a chest pad that significantly reduces the occurrence of commotio cordis among athletes. The chest pad may be utilized as a stand-alone chest protector intended to provide coverage primarily for the upper chest wall and the cardiac area. The chest pad may also be implanted into or utilized in traditional chest protectors that provide full coverage of the user's torso. The chest pad of the present invention provides additional protection to the heart of the wearer such that impact in the heart area with a projectile is absorbed by the chest pad.

A chest protector includes a protective vest portion and a harness portion to hold the vest portion on a user. The harness portion includes a first side strap and a second side strap, each of the first and second side straps being connected to the vest portion on opposing sides of the vest portion; a first slide connected to the first side strap; a second slide connected to the second side strap; a central strap passing through the first slide and the second slide and forming a loop connecting the first and second slides; a vertical strap connected to the central strap; and a strap adjuster connecting the vest portion and the vertical strap. The vertical strap passes through the strap adjuster and a free end of the vertical strap can be pulled to tighten the harness portion around a user. The vertical strap may be the only adjustable strap.

A body protector includes a plurality of outer left and right front side pad members with a flexible break being formed between adjacent outer left and right front side pad members. A plurality of inner left and right front side pad members is disposed behind said plurality of outer left and right front side pad members for overlapping the respective flexible breaks formed in the plurality of outer left and right front side pad members. A plurality of outer left and right rear side pad members is provided with a flexible break being formed between adjacent outer left and right rear side pad members and a plurality of inner left and right rear side pad members is disposed behind said plurality of outer left rear side pad members for overlapping the respective flexible breaks formed in the plurality of outer left and right rear side pad members.

The present application provides a protective apparatus that includes a left and a right generally arched shaped portion with a padding system that provides a channel that accommodates the user's shoulder. The foam padding system includes a shoulder pad removably attached to at least one of the generally arched shaped portions, and a pair of body pads removably attached at their top ends to the shoulder pad and at a bottom to respective bottom ends of the generally arched shape portions.

A wearable shield for evaluating accuracy of a fighter's performance. The shield has a target strike cover with a front surface and side surfaces. Target aim points are located on the front and side surfaces of the target strike cover for providing aiming points for a user's strikes. Impact absorbers or cushioning are provided so that the user can repeatedly strike the target strike cover safely. A data collection and processing core is attached to the target strike cover. The data collection and processing core has a processor, a data receiving device, a signal transmission device configured to transmit data from the shield, and/or at least one force plate, accelerometer, gyroscope, location sensor, thermometer, pressure sensor, and/or humidity sensor. A flexible strap connected to the rear surface of the target strike cover permits a trainer to wear the shield during workout, training, and practice sessions.

The present invention concerns a hit detection equipment, usable by a fighter and an opponent for martial arts such as taekwondo, karate or boxing, comprising a central device, a valid surface, for example a jersey and/or a helmet, and at least one authorized surface, for example a glove and/or a shoe. Said valid surface comprises at least one conductive surface and said authorized surface comprises two conductive structures insulated from each other, intertwined with each other over the entire said authorized surface, and each connected to an electrical terminal, and configured so that a contact of said authorized surface on a conductive surface creates a short circuit between the two conductive structures.

The present invention also concerns a method for detecting a hit struck by a fighter on an opponent, for martial arts such as taekwondo, karate or boxing, each equipped with an equipment according to the invention.

An article of protective equipment for protecting a body part of a user includes a lattice structure with a plurality of struts forming three dimensional volumetric structures. The lattice structure includes a plurality of internal layers, each internal layer having at least one different physical property from the other internal layers, wherein the plurality of internal layers comprises at least one internal layer having physical properties such that the at least one internal layer is capable of compressing more than at least one other internal layer in response to an impact to the article of protective equipment.

An impact plate system is provided herein comprising a textile layer comprising at least a first surface and an elastically resilient material. The system further comprises a moldable plate coupled to the first surface of the textile layer. The moldable plate comprises a polymeric material having a tensile strength within the range of 40 MPa to 50 MPa, according to ASTM D638 standards.